The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Arthroscopic procedures often include sutures and anchors to secure soft tissue to bone. Despite their widespread use, sutures and suture anchors, as well as methods for their use, can be improved. For example, tying knots in sutures may be very time consuming and difficult to perform, particularly inside the joint space. As a result, the cost of the procedure may be increased and the capacity of the surgeon may be limited. Furthermore, the strength of the repair may be limited by the strength of the knot.
Another, more specific example of an area for improvement, is in the area of rotator cuff repair. During rotator cuff repair, the suture anchor is inserted within the bone, and the sutures are threaded through the tissue and tied on top of the tissue to secure the placement of the tissue relative to the bone. When placing the knot in the suture, doctors and surgeons must be aware of the potential for tissue strangulation in the area of the knot.
The method and apparatus disclosed herein addresses these issues and numerous others.